


A Sense of Community

by thetransgirlwhoneverwas



Series: Fictober 2019 [20]
Category: Bernice Summerfield (Books & Audio), Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 13:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21162392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetransgirlwhoneverwas/pseuds/thetransgirlwhoneverwas
Summary: Irving has a very important task for Bernice, one that could affect the manner in which the entirety of Legion perceives them and their operation forever.





	A Sense of Community

“Ah, Benny, just who I was looking for, may we talk for a minute?”

Benny sighed and looked over at the owner of the voice wafting towards her. “If it’s quick, Irving, I’m meeting Peter and Ruth to go out drinking and I’m already late.”

“Surely it doesn’t matter if you’re a little late?” Irving asked with what Benny could swear was a wink and a brief smirk. “After all, pattern recognition implies none of you will remember much of tonight anyway.”

Benny gasped “Irving!” at her employer’s cheek, her gasp turning gradually into a noncommittal “well…”, before continuing to transform and landing definitely on and “eh,” accompanied by a shrug and a nod of agreement. “Alright, you’ve convinced me.”

“I was honestly expecting more resistance,” Irving muttered to himself. Benny wasn’t sure if she was supposed to hear that, but she did. She could have let it slide, but she didn’t want to.

“Did you want me to stick around and listen, Irving, or did you want me to leave?”

“Oh, no, absolutely not, very sorry Bernice, please stay,” Irving floundered, which Benny enjoyed maybe more than she should have. It was unfair on Irving - _this_ Irving at least - but she still enjoyed seeing that man flustered. It was a welcome change from spending years being manipulated, even if it hadn’t been by this Braxiatel. Benny wondered if that made her cruel, then realised that Irving had been talking and she hadn’t been listening, and shelved the topic, ready to inevitably revisit it one night when she was trying to sleep.

“-the success of...most of our jobs, I’ve been thinking that we should acquire a second shuttle,” Irving proposed. “For the purposes of running multiple jobs at once, since our services are quite clearly in demand.”

“And you wanted to ask me if I thought that was a good idea,” Benny finished, strangely flattered.

“No,” Irving responded, tactful as a brick to the head. “I thought it was a good idea and so I decided I should purchase a shuttle.”

“Ah,” Benny continued for him, understanding now. “And you wanted my input on what kind of shuttle to get and where to get it from.” She nodded sagely.

“No,” Irving responded again, tact and subtlety still absent presumed missing, and Benny pouted a little. “I have already purchased the shuttle from a less-than-reputable source, so I got it at a very reasonable price.”

“You remember that this thing is supposed to go into space, right?” Benny asked, slightly worried for the safety of anyone inside it when it did.

Irving ignored her. “The question I pose to you is this: given all the various complexities of owning a shuttle for business, making sure it is presentable, runs smoothly, can carry everything it needs to, and is not immediately obvious to any authorities who might wish to snoop…”

“Yes?” Benny leaned forward, intrigued by what Irving might want from her.

“What should we call it?”

Benny leaned back again. That was it? A name? “Is that all you think I’m good for?” she demanded. “Thinking of a catchy name?”

Irving ignored her again. “Since we made the first shuttle’s name a portmanteau of our names-”

“_You_ made the first shuttle’s name a port...combination of our names.”

“I was thinking maybe the _Summering_? To match?” he smiled at her, a wide, bright grin that he had cultivated to inspire trust and camaraderie with anyone who saw it.

Benny blinked and tried to work out if Irving was being serious. She studied his expression, looking for any hint of irony, sarcasm, or any indication whatsoever that he was not being 100% genuine and sincere. Finally, when she was unable to detect any such signs, she gave her answer.

“Absolutely bloody not, Irving.”

“No?” Irving looked a little crestfallen, but leaned down and picked his smile off of the floor, dusted it off, and placed it back on his face. “A little too on-the-nose? A mite ostentatious? A smidgeon arrogant?”

“It sounds like an act that either is illegal, or should be, Irving.”

“Do you mean in terms of torture, or…” he let his pause say what he felt too awkward to verbalise.

“Both,” Benny shot back, and Irving’s smile fell off his face again and into a pile of gloom on the floor from which it would never be recovered.

“Very well,” Irving started again, determined not to be downcast. “Someone else, then. How about Jack and Ruth? The _Juth_? The _Rack_?”

“Those are even worse!” Benny exclaimed. “Why does it have to be a portmanteau of names anyway?” she asked , so worked up she had forgotten that she was already too tipsy to correctly pronounce “portmanteau”.

“Because I want it to reflect our sense of community!” Irving insisted. “I want to show us as a family, one that we found ourselves!”

As much as that sentiment warmed her dead, yet oft-resuscitated heart, Benny was determined not to let Irving name the new shuttle something as embarrassing. The _Irverfield_ was quite enough.

“Why not name it something normal, then?” she asked. “The _Legion_? Or the _Togetherness_? Or the _People Who Killed Avril Fenman As A Group_?”

“Much as I like that last one, I want to stick with my idea, for brand recognition,” Irving said and Benny did not believe. He snapped his fingers. “I know! The _Bernrujapeterving_! Perfect!”

“If you name it that I’m handing in my notice and moving to another planet,” Benny looked him dead in the eye and told him with utter sincerity.

Irving sighed. “I believe you. I suppose it would be annoying to write on all of the shipping manifests.”

“Now, in any case,” Bernice stood up, straightening out her jacket. “I’ve got to go and meet my son and Ruth. I tried to convince Jack to come with us, but he said no. We’ll get him to join our little collection one day.”

“Of course!” Irving shouted, startling Bernice enough that the alcohol-induced lack of coordination sent her back into her chair. “It was so obvious!”

“Mm?” Bernice didn’t even bother opening her mouth this time.

“The _Collection_!” Irving announced triumphantly. “That’s what I shall call it!”

Bernice returned his smile finally. “Not bad, not bad at all. I’d gladly fly a ship called the _Collection_.”

“Better than _Bernrujapeterving_?” Irving asked with another smirk.

“Infinitely.”

“Then it’s settled!” Irving walked towards the door, followed by Bernice. “Oh, are you coming to officiate the name with me?”

“Nope!” Benny said brightly. “I’m going to get hammered with Ruth and Peter. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”

“Perhaps another time,” Irving brushed her off. “I don’t think I’ll manage it tonight though.”

He was, however, wrong, as after a couple of hours he joined Benny, Ruth, Peter, and a relenting Jack in the White Rabbit. The four drank excessive amounts, played various card games, make no end of incredibly inappropriate jokes and laughed with each other through the night, and despite Irving’s prediction, they all remembered it as one of the best nights they’d ever had on Legion.


End file.
